Rain was due over at 1600-ish today supposedly, so I didn’t want to go too far. Last night while idly toying with a route planner, I devised a different southbound route – one that would use the usual route as far as Bagworth, meet it again at Broughton Astley, but go through Desford, Thurlaston and Croft on the way there.
On a map it looks more direct but in practice it’s more hilly, not really very practical. Made a nice change though. Some stretches of road I hadn’t done before. Some nice scenery. I went down as far as Broughton Astley then came back up the usual way. Stopped at the Co-op at Stoney Stanton and had a bit of a feast at the Belarus Bench (actually a massive tyre bearing the text MADE IN BELARUS) near Potters Marston.
A very light rain started to descend at about 1400. It was tolerable, but of course I didn’t know if it was going to stay tolerable so rather than coming back through Ibstock as I intended, I came the quick way through Donington Le Heath. The rain did start to come down a bit heavier over the last few km.
I listened to Adrian Chiles on 5 Live and the 2017 British Sea Power album Let the Dancers Inherit the Party. I’m never sure if it’s perhaps a bit better than its successor, Everything Was Forever.
Anyway, something a bit different and another 63.67km in the bag. 571 this month now, 3077 this year. I’ll be happy enough with another 200 this month but what I really want is a warm day with a light easterly wind so I can pedal over to the Fens and back.